2019-04-01 World Soccer

Big guns lose

key players

World Cup absences could level the

playing field in new NWSL season

For the past three seasons, two teams

have dominated the National Women’s

Soccer League (NWSL). Between them,

North Carolina Courage and Portland

Thorns have won 87 and lost 31 of 149

matches, collecting both the regular-

season shields and post-season play-off

championships each year. Englishman

Paul Riley’s Courage – known as Western

New York Flash before relocating to Cary

• have had the upper hand, winning two
  of each, but compatriot Mark Parsons’
  Thorns have pushed them close.
  This season, however, hope is on the
  horizon for the other NWSL teams – and
  it arrives in the shape of the Women’s
  World Cup in France.
  The finals fall mid-season, and while
  there will be a 12-day break from June
  3-14, the World Cup itself runs from
  June 7 to July 7. Add the demands
  of pre-tournament preparation and
  post-competition recovery and it is
  clear that many players, especially
  those representing countries that go
  deep into the competition, will miss a
  large chunk of the domestic campaign.
  There were five Courage players in the

USA squad for the recent SheBelieves

Cup – the most of any club – plus a sixth

in the preliminary party. Riley could also

lose up to four players to other countries,

including skipper Abby Erceg, who is now

back in the fold for New Zealand, and

Brazil’s Debinha.

Parsons is likely to be without nine

players: four from the US, three Aussies,

Canada’s talismanic Christine Sinclair and

Brazil’s Andressinha.

That is a lot of players to be without

and while others will also be affected

• notably Chicago Red Stars and Utah
  Royals – the main effect should be to
  level the playing field for a third of the
  24-match regular-season schedule.
  Parsons admits “losing this number
  of players, and their quality, will be a
  big challenge” but says their likely

replacements had gained valuable

experience during Thorns’ injury-hit 2018

season and he was confident they “have

the ability to step in and pick up points”.

As problematic for Thorns could be

having to play on the road until June

while building work at Providence Park is

completed. However, that may not prove

such a handicap as Parsons noted that

playing in front of the league’s biggest

crowds means Thorns “often see the best

of opponents who are excited and

motivated” by the experience.

With three matches against the big

two during the World Cup period, Reign

FC could be the main beneficiaries.

Their 35-mile move south from

Seattle to Tacoma, and dropping of

the Seattle name, is the most notable

change of the NWSL’s seventh season.

That, in itself, is significant, given that a

year ago NWSL kicked off without two

founding franchises; Boston Breakers

having folded and Kansas City Royals

having effectively become Utah Royals.

Equally telling is that the move is

motivated by league demands for higher

standards. Memorial Park, Reign’s home

since 2014, was very dated, faced

restrictions on hospitality and had

declining attendances. Unable to find

a suitable alternative in Seattle, the

franchise moved to the remodelled

Cheney Stadium with a long-term plan to

move into a new, adjacent 5,000-seat

soccer-specific stadium in 2021.

Reign made the play-offs last year, as

did Chicago, and they will be competitive

again, but Orlando Pride and Utah will

also expect to be in contention. Both are

well supported, backed by MLS clubs and

feature some marquee names: Alex

Morgan and Marta at Pride; Becky

Sauerbrunn and new signing Veronica

Bouqete at Utah.

Pride are one of three clubs with new

coaches, all of whom have questions to

answer. However, while those facing Marc

Skinner at Orlando and James Clarkson

at Houston Dash are conventional –

Skinner has not worked in the US,

Clarkson has never coached women –

Washington Spirit’s Richie Burke faced

shock accusations of bullying by the

parents of a former youth player.

Burke was alleged to have used

homophobic and abusive language

towards a 15-year-old boy while coaching

junior side FC Virginia. The issue was

made public by the family because they

are fans of Spirit and unhappy at his

appointment. Spirit said they consulted

Glenn Moore

Women’s Football

58 WORLD SOCCER

While there will be a 12-day break from June 3-14, the

World Cup itself runs from June 7 to July 7

58 WORLD SOCCER

Top two... North

Carolina Courage

(left) and Portland

Thorns

Call-ups...Utah

Royals (in white) and

Chicago Red Stars